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July 16, 2012

How we won first place in the Round Top 2012 Parade

For all you folks out there that love small town Texas and especially small town Texas parades, you'll love this story. Here's how it all happened - the parade - THE TRUCK - the blue ribbon!

I call Suzanne sometime before school is out and ask her about her summer travel plans. In the past two years our families have missed celebrating the 4th together. This year, we discover we can make plans together again! Cousins will be thrilled.

I mention that I think it would be really neat to go watch the parade in Round Top this year. (knowing we'd have friends there and also just thinking it is the coolest, oldest running (since 1851), most vintage parade around!) Suzanne not only agrees it would be a blast, she says she wants us to be IN IT!

After a quick call to Suzanne's Aunt, she secures the most awesome vintage truck EVER for Rusted Gingham to parade down the street in Round Top. It's a beautifully restored Maroon (whoop!) 1936 Chevy Highboy, which was carefully transported from Pleasanton to Round Top and all prettied up for the parade.

THE TRUCK was feather dusted and spit shined and then it got a little Rusted Gingham adornment for the parade.

It was a HOT TEXAS Fourth of July kind of day, but we were so excited to be in the line up we didn't care. The kids were all ready to pass out candy and barn sale cards. We later found out that of the more than 100 parade floats and vehicles, our girls were the only ones walking the parade! We were so proud of them!

As we waited for the parade to begin, we had fun saying hello to all the other floats and vehicles. This float takes the cake every year...

But better than cake in our book is PIE! And what better Pie than Royer's Round Top Cafe! They were handing out mini pies and let me tell you, pie for breakfast is not a bad way to start the Fourth of July!

We loved this beauty! Especially the little side tray complete with a hot dog, Coke and chips. These two were having a blast and the parade had not even started yet!

There were so many totally awesome vehicles, lots of fire trucks, a large herd of horseback riders, and then there was this guy...We were told he made it through the parade, but not without a little bit of coaxing, a lot of pulling, and strong arming along the way! Only in Texas!

As we were getting a few more pictures of THE TRUCK, the sweetest man EVER came up and suggested I take one more picture...and he held up that official blue ribbon that said FIRST PLACE! I had no idea who he was, but he had a clipboard in his hand and he looked Round Top official-like in his Old Navy t-shirt! I snapped this picture, then ran up and kissed him on the cheek. (Thank you, sweet man, whoever you are!)

So here we are, with Roger and Rosie, and the most beautiful truck that earned us the FIRST PLACE ribbon! We wanted to think it might have been the cool Barn Sale signs, or our gingham banners or the cutest girls ever ready to pass out candy...but when it was all said and done, we know it was THE TRUCK! (Thanks a million, Roger!)

We hung that ribbon proudly and joined the ranks in the most awesome vintage parade ever! It began with the blast of the cannon and we anxiously awaited our turn to move, as we were number 89 in line...

One of my favorite parts was listening to Round Top's own brass band playing patriotic music all through the parade and during lunch. I was shocked! These guys were awesome! For that matter, so was the float behind us that danced and smiled and played live Jimmy Buffet music all morning. So fun!So there we went, right down the middle of town, like we knew what we were doing! THE TRUCK has made a few parades in his time...he knew what to do. The girls at Rusted Gingham have never been in a parade before. Check out our waves! What do you think?

We're pretty sure we might need some coaching in the
waving department, but we've got the riding in the back of the truck
thing down!

Thanks to Janie of Petticoats on the Prairie for the parade shot and the hugs! We love you rodeo queens! And thank you Round Top, Texas, our favorite little small town. It's hardly ever little when we're there (like during antiques week twice a year), but it never loses it's charm. Thanks for letting us be a part of your history!

So there you have it. The story of THE TRUCK, the PARADE, and THE FIRST PLACE RIBBON!